Bicycle Planning

Just like a land use or comprehensive plan, a bicycle and pedestrian plan serves as a guide to making a community a more bicycle and pedestrian friendly place as the community undergoes new development or re-development and reconstruction. A plan can vary from a brief strategic plan to guide a community on how and where to start their efforts, or a comprehensive master planning document with both short and long-term goals, community surveys, policy and facility recommendations, design guidelines, implementation and funding information, maps, education and outreach products. The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin has experience with writing plans at all levels of detail for both bicycle and pedestrian needs. We are experts in the latest state-of-the-art bicycle and pedestrian facilities and design, evaluating bicycle use and demand, and implementing successful education and encouragement programs. With backgrounds in urban planning, geography, geographic information systems and years of bicycling experience, we join professional expertise with a passion for bicycling. We have completed plans for Mt. Pleasant, Marshall, Green Lake, West Allis, and Marathon County, the City of Milwaukee, the Village of Pleasant Prairie, the Town of Gibraltar and others. We work with our clients from plan development through implementation.

Why Plan?

Why does your community need a bicycle and pedestrian plan? If you are looking for more information about why your community should plan for bicyclists and pedestrians check out the talking points listed below. These facts may also be helpful for interested community members trying to convince their elected officials to start planning in their community. Bicycle Plan Talking Points

Just like a land use or comprehensive plan, a bicycle plan serves as a guide to making a community a bicycle friendly place as the community undergoes new development or re-development and reconstruction.

A pedestrian plan identifies weaknesses and suggests solutions for making an area safe and inviting for walkers. Solutions may include design suggestions, facility improvements and policy changes.

A plan provides policy, zoning ordinances and budgetary spending practices that will allow a community to build bicycle facilities and remain financially responsible while doing so.

The planning process is a great public outreach tool. Gathering public input about the bicycle plan is a great way to market the idea of bicycling. An increase in the number of people bicycling is a sign of a healthy community and encouraging them to do so is part of the plan.

A bicycle plan provides methods of encouragement and education by providing examples of how to educate residents on the benefits of cycling and how to educate other users of the roadway what lawful right that cyclists have.

A plan provides a comprehensive list and description of all the possible funding sources that can be leveraged as grant opportunities to assist in funding of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Having an adopted plan is often a requirement of many of these funding sources! Communities that have well thought-out plans and show commitment to implementing their plans are often selected first for grant awards.

Encouraging bicycling is a simple way to improve public health. With more people bicycling, communities experience reduced traffic demands, improved air quality and greater physical fitness. In addition, bicycle-friendly towns are often seen as places with a high quality of life. This can translate into increased property values, business growth and increased tourism.

Bicycle & Pedestrian Planning : Consulting Services

The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin is one of the most experienced and respected advocacy organizations in the country. As a consultant, the Bike Fed offers professional services to clients in Wisconsin who seek a progressive and innovative approach to making bicycling a significant part of daily life in their community or region. The Bike Fed specializes in strategic problem solving, public outreach and is adept at delivering practical solutions. The Bike Fed offers a full range of services including:

Bicycle and pedestrian master planning and policy development

Bikeway planning and design

GIS network analysis and mapping and map production/printing

Bicycle education and safety programming

Bicycle-related technical assistance

Bike rack siting and installation

About our Planners: The Bike Fed Planning Consultants

Kevin Luecke, lead planner Kevin is responsible for all aspects of bicycle planning at the Bike Fed, including facilities planning, cartography, and GIS analysis. Kevin has masters degrees in urban planning and public affairs as well as a certificate in transportation management and policy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to joining the Bike Fed, Kevin worked for the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning where he performed analysis of transportation options and performed public outreach. Contact Kevin Luecke.

Dave Schlabowske Dave was the Bicycle and Pedestrian Planner for the City of Milwaukee. Under his leadership, bicycle use in Milwaukee increased 350% in the five years he worked in the Dept. of Public Workds. Dave supervised a number of bicycle master planning documents as well as large construction projects. Contact Dave Schlabowske.

Kevin Hardman, Bike Fed executive director. Kevin has over 15 years of business and real-estate development experience. He is a strong advocate for the creation of bike-able and walkable communities. Kevin led the transformation of one of the country’s largest redevelopments of former public housing. Contact Kevin Hardman.

About Dave Schlabowske, Deputy Director

Dave was the first full-time staff member hired to open the Bike Fed's Milwaukee office 15 years ago. A former professional photographer and life-long Milwaukee resident, Dave likes wool, long rides, sour beer, and a good polar vortex once in a while.